School Tour
Early Years Unit: Sunshine/Rainbow
Children enter the Early Years Unit (EYU) on a part-time basis as they approach their 3rd birthday. Initially they attend 2-5 morning sessions each week with the option of staying for lunch if this is preferred. When staff and parents feel the children are ready to cope with a full day there will usually be a period of transition when they stay for two afternoon sessions (on Tuesdays and Thursdays) as well as the five mornings. The move from part-time to full-time nursery takes place between 3 - 4 years of age, or whenever the child is ready for full-time education and a more structured learning programme.
We recognise that starting school can be an anxious time for both children and parents. For this reason we adopt a gentle, supportive approach to ensure a relaxed and happy start to school life.
The children in the Early Years Unit experience a structured, play oriented environment which enables them to acquire the basic skills necessary for achieving the foundations for future learning. Once these foundations have been laid, the children begin working towards achieving the Early Learning Goals of nursery education. The curriculum is planned to include daily opportunities for the acquisition of language and numeracy skills leading towards a more formal Maths and Language programme, reinforced through games and songs, when they are ready.
Throughout the school day the children have opportunities to experience a variety of games and equipment, and to explore a range of media such as paint, glue and ‘messy’ materials. The aim is to help foster creative, physical and personal and social development, through both adult directed and child initiated activities.
The development of fine and gross motor skills is encouraged through a wide range of games, apparatus and activities, both inside and out, which are experienced by the children every day.
The children will begin to learn more about themselves and the world around them and how to show care for other living creatures. Good behaviour and a caring attitude towards others are encouraged through praise and are rewarded both in the Early Years Unit and throughout the school.
The children will have the opportunity to develop social skills important to this age group. Through their play, small group work and daily experiences they will learn how to listen, to share, to communicate ideas, and to interact with others in an appropriate way.
Early Years Unit: Reception
As the children progress through the school the educational programme will reflect the change in emphasis by combining learning through play with learning through more structured activities.
During this time the children continue to pursue the Early Learning Goals through the six areas of learning and will also begin Key Stage 1 of the National Curriculum when appropriate.
There will be an increasing emphasis on the development of key literacy and numeracy skills and in addition to daily reading practice in class, the children will have simple weekly homework involving number work, phonics and occasionally science.
The children have daily access to the class computer to develop ICT skills. They will continue to explore role play and ‘hands on’ learning activities such as cooking, ‘messy’ play and construction.
Reception children, together with the Year 1 and Year 2 classes, will have weekly swimming lessons with a specialist teacher.
Year 1
The transition from Reception to Year 1 is one that marks a time of great change for children.
Although there are still many ‘fun’ learning activities the curriculum generally becomes more formal as the children begin working towards their assessment at 7 years for entry to preparatory and other schools.
The main curriculum focus is on Maths and Literacy both of which are scheduled daily on the class timetable. The children also have weekly experience of Science, Humanities, Art, Music, D/T, ICT, PE and RE.
A theatre visit is scheduled in the Autumn Term and another school trip is arranged in the Summer Term to link with the current class topic.
The children read every day to the Teacher/Assistant and take home a reading book for daily home practice.
Homework comprises daily reading and spelling practice and weekly Maths and Literacy work.
The children’s developing ICT skills are encouraged through daily access to the class computer.
Musical notation is taught through the introduction of weekly recorder lessons.
The children have weekly PE, games and swimming lessons.
A strong emphasis is placed on the development of the children’s independence and self-confidence. To facilitate this there are several opportunities throughout the year for the children to perform before an audience of their peers and/or parents. During these performances the children demonstrate a range of skills they have learnt in class such as playing the recorder, singing, dance movement, drama or reading aloud a favourite piece of their own writing.
By the end of the school year the children have all the skills, confidence and independence needed to achieve success in Year 2 - the final phase of Key Stage 1 of the National Curriculum.
Year 2
When the children enter Year 2 they take on the responsibilities associated with being the senior pupils of the school. They will lead school performances and fulfil school monitor duties.
In the Autumn term the children will prepare for their 7+ assessments for their next schools.
At this stage the children will be working with greater independence and many will have advanced to the higher levels of the National Curriculum.
The curriculum as laid down for Year 2, Key Stage 1, is followed in all subjects. A selection of units in History, Geography and Science are covered: birds, houses and homes, comparing localities, forces.
ICT, DT, Arts and Craft are all included into these units and are worked on in accordance with Year 2 guidelines.
Maths and Language continue to be the main focus of the curriculum and extension work is provided where appropriate which takes the children into the Year 3 curriculum and Key Stage 2 of the National Curriculum.
Comprehension and prediction skills are practised on a daily basis through reading at school and at home. Individually chosen spellings are practised every day and group spellings are sent home weekly. Both of these sets of words are tested on a weekly basis. Tables are also learnt at home for a weekly test.
Children are taught numeracy skills individually once a week and homework is set to reinforce this learning.
French is commenced in Year 2.
The children have weekly PE and swimming sessions.
Recorders continue to be taught, reading music by notation. Throughout the year the children also have drama sessions.
Their last day in Year 2 Class and Athelstan House School, is rarely the last time that we see our departing pupils. Many return to visit or spend a day and ‘catch up’ with their former teachers and friends – an experience enjoyed by all.
